I know most people don’t want to think about back to school shopping. You rather think about lounging pool side or hanging out at the beach watching the waves crash against the shore. Sadly those days are fleeting fast. Before you know it your kids will be packing their backpacks and heading off to school.
As a parent it irks me how much we need to spend on school supplies ($125 for a calculator? Ugh!). Not only that, shoes are another pet peeve of mine. Why are kids shoes so expensive? Especially since most out grow them in a matter of months.
I am grateful that my daughter’s feet have stopped growing and she happens to wear the same size shoe as me. My son on the other hand – I never thought his feet would stop growing. He’s been a size 11/12 (depending on the style/cut) for about a year now. I hope that means his foot has stopped growing. Prior to that he would out grow his shoes in a matter of 2-3 months. It killed me to have to buy him new shoes after spending $80+ on a pair of sneakers for only 2-3 months use.
Shoes for your children can really throw your budget off. So how exactly do you afford shoes for your children? Here are a few suggestions.
Hand-me-downs – I know some people might be totally grossed out about the thought of using someone else’s shoes. You CAN clean and sanitize shoes. If you have an older child who has outgrown shoes and the means to store them hold on to them for younger siblings. Or consider offering outgrown shoes (in good condition) to your family and friends and see if they have outgrown shoes that might fit your child.
Shop online – If you know what size shoe your child wears, bookmark your favorite online retailer such as Brand House Direct and check for sales, discounts and coupons. Some brands offer online coupons. Crocs offers a coupon code sometimes as well as other brands. Many retailers offer deals on free shipping. When you think about it, ordering online with free shipping will save you money on gasoline, especially if you have to travel from store to store looking for a specific shoe.
Shop out of season – If your child’s foot has stopped growing you should consider taking advantage of out of season clearance sales. Shop for boots in the Spring/Summer and Sandals in the Fall/Winter. This ONLY works if your child’s foot has stopped growing. If your child’s foot is still growing don’t try and “guesstimate” what their shoe size will be 3-6 months from now because you could be wrong and stuck with a shoes your child can’t wear.
Don’t go crazy – Buy only what you truly need. A good pair of sneakers and a pair of dress shoes are all most children need. Teens my insist that they “need” several pairs of sneakers or shoes, but don’t let that sway you. Stick to the basics – sneakers, dress shoes and perhaps boots and/or sandals for cold/warm weather.
Quality over quantity – Even though purchasing a pair of sneakers for $15 might sound like a great deal, consider that often you “get what you pay for”. It might be worth investing $10-$20 more (if you can afford it) on a better quality shoe. It would last longer, especially if your child’s foot has stopped growing. I don’t mind spending $50+ on a pair of sneakers for my son or daughter because their feet have stopped growing and I know better quality sneakers can last 6-12 months or more.
Take advantage of Buy One/Get One Free sales (BOGO) – Need I say more? Get the most out of the sale by picking up a pair of sneakers and dress shoes, or sneakers and boots. Think about what your child will need. Don’t get two pairs of the same thing unless you truly need them. Or use the free pair of shoes for a sibling.
Plan ahead – If your child plays a sport and you need a specific kind of shoe make note of that ahead of time and look for off season sales or pre-sales. Don’t wait until the sport season is in full swing because it might be harder to find sales and discounts. If you know your child will be playing basketball look for the type of sneakers he/she will need a couple of months before the season starts.
Set aside money in your budget – Whenever you can afford it put aside a couple of dollars each week in a special “shoe fund”. That way you an save up each month for shoes so you have the money when you need it.
Do you have any tips on how to save money on children’s/teen’s shoes? Feel free to comment and tell me more about it.
Kimberly
Denise Taylor-Dennis says
You can always wash used shoes too. I regularly wash my son’s shoes because they get so dirty at school. Great tips thank you.
kristin sims says
Those are some wonderful tips, our county schools are starting mandatory school uniforms this year. Polos and khaki….they announced this in May, so I have been catching sales on the Internet, and getting a few at a time when I find a good sale (Kohls had polos for four dollars two months ago, i snagged five of them)